TYLER, Texas – Playing for the final time at HPC Patriot Gymnasium, the East Texas Baptist University volleyball team fell in three straight sets to the University of Texas-Tyler. The loss of 25-9, 25-19, and 25-23 puts ETBU at 12-13 on the season.
 
ETBU was led offensively by Sydney Lopez with nine kills while Cassidy Zellmer had 16 assists. Julia De Los Santos added 11 digs while Karina Lay posted 10 on the night. Kayla McCoy and Samantha Lee had UTT's lead in kills with 11 each while Reighanna Guzman dished out 43 assists. 
 
Set one didn't start well for ETBU as they conceded five straight points before getting on the board with a kill from Lizeth Flores. After each team exchanged the next five points, with UTT up 8-3, the Patriots maintained control of the set with an 8-2 run, including seven straight points to make it 16-5. ETBU would only get the margin down as close as 10 at 18-8 with kills from Flores and Lindsey Hill. But UTT put together a 7-1 run to seize set one 25-9. 
 
ETBU started off better in set two, but they would find themselves locked in a 12-12 duel with UTT after twenty-four serves. Lopez was the contributor for ETBU by adding three kills while neither team built a lead of two points. That would change when the Patriots strung together four straight points to go up 16-12. ETBU would get within two at 16-14 and 17-15 with kills from Lopez and Allison Sevening before a service error by UTT brought the Tigers to within 18-17. But again, the Patriots managed to put a surge on ETBU as they finished the set with a 7-2 run to win 25-19. 
 
Down two sets to none, ETBU surprised the Patriots by going off on a 10-3 run to take an early lead. While some of their points came from Patriot errors, ETBU saw two kills each from Lopez and Meredith Johnson. UTT refused to back down as they stormed back with a 7-2 run to trail 12-10. ETBU would try to prevent the Patriots from overtaking them as they would manage to build a four-point lead at 18-14 with kills from Hill, Lopez, and Alexis Contos. But UTT would rally to tie the score at 18. The teams would battle back with ETBU leading only for the Patriots to tie up the score. After seeing the Tigers lead 23-21 with Flores and Johnson kills, the Patriots stormed back with four straight points to steal the set 25-23 and complete the sweep. 
 
ETBU have their final home match of the season on next Tuesday when they host LeTourneau University at 7:00 PM in Ornelas Gym.